Tackling Youth Violence Network 30 October 2018 Barking & Dagenham

Welcome Rosemary Watt-Wyness, Chief Executive

Reducing violence in London Steve O’Connell AM Chairman, Police and Crime Committee London Assembly

Your London Assembly Members

Susan Hall AM

Police and Crime Committee Examines the work of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) Reviews and comments on the draft Police and Crime Plan and MOPAC’s Annual Report Investigates ‘any other matters which the Assembly considers to be of importance to policing and crime reduction’

Tackling violence Between January 2018 and September 2018 107 homicides, of which 19 were domestic abuse related 1,827 gun crime offences, 313 of which involved a lethal gun being fired 11,000 knife crime offences, of which 3,413 involved an injury 17,949 domestic abuse offences .

The committee’s investigation The causes Why are people turning to violence? Short term solutions Are we dealing the immediate problem working effectively? Long term solutions What are the long term and alternative approaches and how could they work in London?

Lack of opportunity / aspiration / role models So far… Drugs Gangs Lack of opportunity / aspiration / role models Family Education Fear Social Media

So far… The short term: Enforcement: Prevention and intervention: The Met’s Violent Crime Taskforce Prevention and intervention: The Young Londoners Fund The ‘London Needs you Alive’ campaign The Violence Reduction Unit

…question for you: What do you want a new model for preventing violence to look like? Can this problem be solved at a pan-London level?

How we can work with you Find out more about the Assembly: www.London.gov.uk/londonassembly Check out our different investigations – and contribute! Tell us what you are most concerned about Get in touch with your local Assembly Member

Questions for us? policeandcrimecommittee@london.gov.uk

Policy Update Samuel Howell, Policy Officer

Updates British Youth Council / UK Youth Parliament ballot of over a million young people found knife crime to be the largest issue of concern Vicky Foxcroft MP: Debate on the role of youth services in tackling violence First 36 recipients of the Young Londoners Fund announced Big Lottery Fund have published findings on the role of the voluntary and community sector in preventing serious youth violence The Ministry of Justice have released a cross-sector Victims Strategy and is consulting on the future of probation services The Home Office is consulting on extending the police’s ‘stop and search’ powers

Budget 2018 No fundamental changes for the youth sector or young people. Austerity isn’t over Extra investment in social care £650 million for adult social care, £85 million for children’s social care Extra investment in physical and mental health £20 billion for the NHS £2 billion for mental health, mental health crisis centres, mental health ambulances, crisis hotline

London VRU The Mayor of London announced a London Violence Reduction Unit Part of MOPAC £500,000 to establish Will work with boroughs, the police, local communities, families, the health service and criminal justice agencies

Home Office ‘Public health approach’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home- secretary-announces-new-measures-to-tackle- serious-violence) Youth Endowment Fund £200 million over 10 years Focus on ‘most at risk’ 10-14 year olds Build evidence for early intervention Consultation on new legal duty to prevent violent crime Independent review of drug misuse Serious Violence Strategy (https://londonyouth.org/our-summary- government-serious-violence-strategy/)

Statutory youth service Labour Party are consulting on Building a Statutory Youth Service Closes 12 November Email Samuel.Howell@londonyouth.org, to be involved in London Youth’s response

Session: The role of the youth sector in the public health approach to youth violence in London Samuel Howell, Policy Officer

What are we trying to achieve? There have been large changes announced in the response to youth violence. We want to: Support real change for young people in London For the youth sector to have a voice on a public health approach State the importance of youth work in tackling youth violence, particularly the need for universal, open access youth provision alongside a public health approach

What is a public health approach? World Health Organisation The public health approach to violence prevention seeks to improve the health and safety of all individuals by addressing underlying risk factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will become a victim or a perpetrator of violence.

What is a public health approach? Treating violence as a preventable disease and the response as a public health issue Multi agency collaboration Long term Early intervention Focus on complex root causes of violence

Scottish VRU Started as part of Strathclyde Police in 2005, from 2006 supported across Scotland by the Scottish Government Over a decade, the murder rate and hospital admissions have dropped dramatically Focus on changing societal attitudes towards alcohol, domestic violence, and carrying weapons

Youth Violence Commission Interim Report (July 2018), final report expected Causes of violence: Childhood trauma, undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues, inadequate state provision, deficient parental support, poverty and social inequality, as well as austerity, the financial climate, and lack of trust between police and some communities

Youth Violence Commission Recommendations: Developing a national Public Health Model A focus on early years and early intervention Fundamental reform of youth services Boosting support in schools Increasing employment opportunities Investment in community policing and review of drugs approach

Are we there yet? The announcements by the Mayor and Home Secretary are large steps in the right direction A lot more work needs to be done London’s problems are unique

Questions What does a public health approach mean for the youth sector? How could you or your organisation support a public health approach in London? What should our message to the Mayor of London and the Home Secretary be?

Your priorities Please fill in the forms on your table. We want to know: Do you want to sign an open letter on the public health approach? What are the top 3 most important points for the network to make?

Thank you Contact: Nicole.Bristol-Robinson@londonyouth.org Samuel.Howell@londonyouth.org Next meeting: January 2019, Lewisham TBC